Digital scales are well known in the art, generally comprising a horizontal weighing surface supported in some manner from a load cell, which is operatively connected with a microprocessor, said microprocessor in turn being connected operatively to a user interface and a digital display. The load cell of an electronic digital scale can be made inexpensively and small so that, with the correspondingly small potential size of microprocessors, user interfaces (in the form of pressure sensitive buttons), and digital displays, allowing for a virtually unlimited forms and sizes of digital scales currently available. To protect the weighing surface from unintended impact, modern digital scales are often provided with either or both of a protective shield or casing for the weighing surface or an enclosure or box for the entire digital scale. Much design effort has been put into minimizing the size of the weighing surface, as well as a housing for the load cell and associated microprocessor, which usually includes a space for a battery for a power supply.
Digital scales are an important tool used by many in the business of diamond or precious metals to obtain accurate weights for their items of exchange or purchase. Items of such small weight generally imply a small size, requiring that a user engage with small items by way of fingers and/or manipulation tools in the form of forceps or tweezers.
Other users of small to mid-sized digital scales include a requirement to determine weights for postage of envelopes and small packages. A user will typically place their envelope or small package upon the weighing surface and then, by way of electronic and/or digital link or manually, translate the weight to a postage cost. An adjunct to the digital scales are items such as stamps, postage cost tables and data link cables from the digital scales to a local computer for transfer of a postage weight as an input to a postage cost software for generation of a shipping label or postage label which can be applied to an item of postage. Supplies for these shipping or postage labels is typically on a desktop adjacent to the digital scales and/or the local computer.
Still other users of small to medium digital scales are involved in gunsmithing and/or reloading, where extremely precise weight measurements can be required to determine, for example, the actual weight of gunpowder dispensed from a volumetric measuring means such as from a small cup or integral dispenser of a reloading device. Using an accurate digital ammunition scale is the only way to consistently hand-load ammunition with the same amount of propellant or gunpowder in every round. Those involved in pistol or rifle marksmanship competitions are typical users of such individual cups or volumetric containers for gunpowder.
In a category ultra-high precision scales are those whose users must determine weights of small volumes of chemical compounds and/or medications. Chemists and pharmacists regularly engage in such activities, regularly contacting the materials and/or their containers to be weighed only with adjunct metal or plastic tools to avoid adding a varying weight to the object to be weighed in the form of fingerprints or materials adhered to a user's fingers. Said adjunct tools, which may include small weighing containers such as small cups or dishes, are generally arrayed adjacent to the digital scales for easy access, but are then exposed to deposition of dust or airborne droplets and moisture.
Still other users must measure a weight of an herbal or spice ingredient, an incense mixture component, or a component of a cosmetic or skin treatment product. These are, without limitation, incorporated while cooking, cosmetics, natural medicines, and fragrances. While some herbal compositions are effective for treatment of external or internal human maladies, some are burned to deter insects or pests. Further, herbs are also incorporated into teas, vinegars, oils, and butters. Digital scales are a virtual necessity in measuring herbs for incorporation into a mixture or for solitary use, as dried herbs are typically quite expensive in light of substantial skill required to ensure preservation of a flavor for an ingested herb or an aroma for one which is ignited to result in incense smoke.
Further, some states have provided by their statutes legalized sales of marijuana. While the status of these state statutes is in question at the federal level, it is well known in Los Angeles County in California that over 150 medical marijuana dispensaries operate authorized under county license and state law. To the extent that federal law prohibits sale or use of marijuana, it is well known that medical marijuana is sold and used nationally legally under the laws of many states. Marijuana, being a dried herb, is in the category of being relatively valuable in small amounts, necessitating the use of high precision digital scales not only for production, packaging and sales, but also for the user who is self dispensing a medically prescribed material in small quantities per use. A medical marijuana user typically has unresolved pain or discomfort for which pain level and expected time for which it will last that user must determine an effective amount of a specific cultivar of marijuana that will be effective. Digital scales are pervasive to the production, packaging, sale and end use of medical marijuana. As medical marijuana is burned in a manner similar to tobacco, it is well known that an adjunct tool for the operations related to medical marijuana will be a means to ignite marijuana so that its smoke can be effectively inhaled by a medical marijuana user.
In the art of digital scales, it is well known that some smaller to midsized models incorporate battery power by way of replaceable or rechargeable batteries. It is further well known to remove such batteries for replacement and/or recharging. In this way, replaceable batteries or recharging means for rechargeable batteries are adjunct tools for the operation of digital scales related to medical marijuana.
There is a need for a digital scale that may provide for a user's incorporation into said scales of adjunct tools and, optionally, for a rechargeable battery.